The Writings of Albrecht Durer

xviii, 288 pp. Translated into English from the original German and edited by William Martin Conway, with an introduction by Alfred Werner. Includes black-and-white frontispiece and plates (ten total) reproduced from Durer's works. A collection of letters, autobiographical sketches, diary fragments, poems, and technical studies in the author's many areas of interest. Durer is best known for his paintings and prints, and was one of the leading figures of the German Renaissance. From the jacket: "Translated with just a touch of the archaic to enhance its period flavor, this collection of Durer's private letters, journals and formal writings renders the cream of Durer's literary effort. The reader will be fascinated by this warm and vivid portrait of a man who was not only one of the world's supreme artists but, as this book reveals, a true pioneer on the frontiers of human knowledge."